Cuban Bandleader Dámaso Pérez Prado Dies at 72
"King of Mambo" Was Popularizer of the Dance Craze
Prado's Music Was Influenced by Afro-Cuban Sounds
Dámaso Pérez Prado, the Cuban bandleader, pianist, composer and arranger who popularized the mambo, died Wednesday from a heart attack. He was 72.
Prado, known as the "King of Mambo", popularized the dance craze in the 1950s with his exuberant style of playing, which mixed Afro-Cuban rhythms with jazz and other genres. His most famous song, "Cherry Pink and Apple Blossom White", was a worldwide hit in 1955 and became his signature tune.
Prado was born in Matanzas, Cuba, on December 11, 1916. He began playing the piano at an early age and formed his first band in 1940. In the 1950s, he moved to Mexico City, where he became a household name. He also toured extensively throughout the United States and Europe.
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